Fox News commentator speaks out against ‘gay slur’

A political commentator on Fox News has spoken out against the use of the “trendy” gay slur ‘no homo’, which has become popular amongst the American hip-hop scene, saying it “reinforces the idea that gay and lesbian people are worthy of ridicule, shame, and surveillance”.

Dr Marc Lamont Hill, who is a professor at Columbia University, as well as a political contributor for the channel, published an essay on his website commenting about the recent rise in the slur.

The term ‘No homo’ is generally used in African-American and urban slang to follow up a remark to ensure it won’t be mistaken as homoerotic.

Dr Hill gave the example of his appearance on a radio station with the Dip Set rap crew who made the slur popular urban slang.

He wrote: “One of the members, Freeky Zeeky, was talking about an upcoming album and said, ‘I couldn’t have gotten it done if Cam’ron hadn’t really gotten behind me. No homo!'”

It also highlights an interesting link, as Dr Hill points out, between certain cultures and the gay community, and that fads such as ‘no homo’ show an underlying animosity between different identities.

Recently, Dr Amanullah De Sondy, a professor at the Glasgow University’s School of Divinity, gave an interview with The Times where he discussed similar views, this time on the masculinity and patriarchy of Islamic culture, and how these ideas have created an entrenched homophobia.

Dr De Sondy continued that there are even historical examples of people living openly in same-sex relationships within the Arab world, and he cites modern religious conservatism and extremism for creating intolerance and limiting sexual freedom.

Dr Hill also questioned his culture’s views on the tolerance and acceptance of the gay community, commenting: “The use of ‘no homo’ also reveals a deep homoerotic impulse within our culture. After all, how can you constantly say ‘no homo’ without constantly thinking about gay sex?”